The Beagle Editor,
The IPCC Report shows that South East Australia faces more droughts with occasional floods. As we have experienced we now have more extreme fire weather days and a longer fire season. On our coastline the ocean is heating up faster than elsewhere.
Wildfires in Canada, USA, Siberia, Greece and Turkey make it obvious that the whole world is suffering from the climate crisis. Unprecedented floods, fires, droughts and storms are all signs that we need to act on climate.
Serious damage is happening at only 1.1 degrees of global warming and 1.4 degrees across Australia’s land areas. Stopping global temperature rise at or below 1.5 degrees is essential for our present and future safety.
Coral bleaching is slowly killing the Great Barrier Reef, with three events in five years. The Morrison government cannot pretend the Reef is not in danger.
350 Eurobodalla says we need action, not more excuses.
The Morrison government has only a weak target of 26 – 28% when a 45% reduction by 2030 is the minimum recommended by the government’s scientific advisers.
Australia’s emissions are only falling due to a reduction in the rate of land clearing since 2005, otherwise emissions rose by 6% from all other sources between 2005 and the start of Covid restrictions.
Public subsidies for new gas power and for gas exploration will increase Australia’s emissions and make our problems worse. As with the pandemic, Morrison is failing in his duty to keep Australia safe.
350 Eurobodalla says we can halt the downward spiral.
There is a narrow path to avoid climate catastrophe, but only through rapid and deep emissions reductions. There is no room for any new fossil fuel developments – including gas – if we are to avoid catastrophe.
We can get all of our electricity and deliver it reliably from existing wind, solar, batteries and hydro technology. We need a rapid, fair transition to renewables and new forests to draw carbon from the atmosphere in order to return to a safe climate. Allan Rees 0417 400 892
Coordinator 350 Eurobodalla
